Continuous press-gluing



March 17, 1953 K. BERGVALI. Erm. 2,631,622

CONTINUOUS PRESS-GLUING Filed Feb. 5, 1948 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 March 17', 1953 K. BERGVALI. ETAL 2,531,622

CONTINUOUS PRESS-GLUING Filed Feb. 5, 1948 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Knu+ LennarJr Bergval Patented Mar. 17, 1953 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE Allan Sweden Otto Georg Palmgren,

Stockholln,

ApplicationFebruary 3, 1948, Serial No. 5,994 In Sweden October 19, 1946 Section 1, Public Law 690, August 8, 1946 Patent expires October 19, 1966 The present invention refers to a continuously operating press for the gluing of laminated material, such as laminated wood and the like, as well as for other similar purposes, and the invention is principally distinguished by compression plates, which may be connected in pairs as clamps or the like so as to press during th-e pressing period against the working material from Vopposite directions, members being provided for the pressing of the compression plates against'the working material and for the progressive movement of the compression plates at right angles to the direction of the compression pressure.

The advantage of a continuously operating press for the object in view is that the working material may be advanced in a continuous string, while pressure is being exerted on the same. In the gluing of laminated wood, those laminae which are to be glued together may have a high temperature imparted thereto prior to the entrance of the laminae into the press, the adhesive being heated and applied a few seconds prior to the application of the compression pressure, whereby an increase of the temperature of the adhesive, after the material has been brought into the press, is not required for the obtaining of a short setting time for the adhesive. The advantage 'of applying a pressure on working material with the aid of compression plates resides in that the compression pressure may be kept uniformly distributed by simple and reliable means and of a sucient magnitude over the Whole surface of the working materialv during the progress of the movement. It will be found particularly useful to cause the comp-ression plates to cooperate in pairs and to Yform a sort of clamp, the compression force being adapted to be taken up by material tensions in members following with the compression plates at the successive movement of the latter, without causing any lost work. In this case great practical advantages are obtained by carrying the chain of compression plates round in a plane at right angles to the direction of the compression The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings. f

Fig. l i-s an elevation of a portion of a press according to an embodiment of the invention.

Fig. 2 and Fig. 2a show a pair of compression plates combined in to a clamp according to the same embodiment, and

Fig. 3 shows another projection of this clamp.

Fig. 4 shows a detail of'such a clamp.

Fig. 5 is a diagrammatic' total view of ai press according to anotherembodiment; and

2 Claims.V (Cl. 144-281) Fig. 6 shows a section through a chain of compression plates according to this embodiment.

Fig. '7 shows a section through a chain of compression plates according to an embodiment for two strings of working material.

Fig. 1 shows a number of clamps I connected to an endless chain, eachof such clamps comprising avpair of compression plates exerting a pressure in a direction against each other, that is to say from opposite directions against the working material. These compression plates perform a rectilinear progressive movement on an upper track 2, are carried round in a plane at right angles to the direction of the compression pressure by means of a driving wheel 3, and are then returned on a lower rectilinear track il. During their movement on the track 2, the clamps I are located adjacent to each other for a uniform distribution `of the compression. pressure over the whole surface of the working material, the clamps being closed thereat while carrying the working material 5 along with them and exerting a high pressure thereagainst, said working material consisting of a number of wooden laminas to be glued together. The length of the track 2 and thus of the series yof clamps is adapted to the setting time of the glue and the rate of Inove- Inent of the clamp chain. The clamp chain is moved around at the opposite end of the track in the manner illustrated in Fig. l.

Each individual clamp, Figs. 2, 2o: and 3, consists of a frame Shaving a compression plate 'l' secured thereto. The frame is carried by two pairs of loose wheels 8a and Bb, which are placed opposite the ends of the compression plate l in the driving direction. The axle 9 of the pair of wheels 8a is xed relatively to the frame 6, Whereas the axle I0 of the other pair of wheels 8b is movable in the driving direction relatively to the frame of the same clamp by being disposed in a slide I I displa'ceable in the driving direction, Fig. 4. The maximum distance between the axles is preferably equal to the length of the compression plate in the driving direction. Adjacent clamps are supported, one of them displaceably on the axle 9 and the other Xedly onthe axle I0, whereby these axles unite the clamps into a chain. In addition, they are connected bymeans of a exible driving member which, according to one formk of embodiment, consists of a chain I2 with link-s of a length smaller than that of a compression plate. Alternatively, the driving member may be constituted by a band I3, a wire, or a rope. The driving member is secured to the ends of the axles 9 and I0, the saine being con sequently rigidly connected with each clamp only at one point, counted in the driving direction. Obviously, the same construction of the flexible driving member may be used on both sides of the clamps. The length of the clamps is comparatively great, and with a wheel 3 of a reasonable size the chain of clamps would consequently have an .irregular movement and an irregular stretching imparted thereto by the Chain following the circular peripheral portion of the driving wheel 3. The eXure to which the driving member is thus subjected reduces the rectilinear distance .between the axles S and le, which is rendered possible by the arrangement described forthe connection of these axles with the clamp frames.

lFor the disconnection of the clamps there isA provided a fixed cam bar le, which at the pro gressive movement of the clamp chain actuates a lever l5 on each clamp. On the opposite'end of the clamp chain there is provided a similar cam bar to throw the clamps into operative engagement.

The lever l5 is pivotally mounted on the frame 6 by means of the pin i5. It carries at the ends thereof two `cam rollers lla, Hb, by the depresn sion of which the lever may be turned in the one or the other direction by means of a iixed cam bar.

Furthermore, the frame 6 has mounted therein a lever le by means of a pin l5 and a pair of links I9@ by means of a pin 2t. The lever i9 and the links isa carry a compression plate 2i by means of the pins 22 and 23, respectively. Through the disposition of the pins it, 2t, 2:2 and 23 the compression plate 2| will have an approxin mately rectilinear movement imparted thereto at right angles to the working material in connection with small turning movements of the lever i9 about the pin iii. The material to be pressed,

in this case a number of wooden laminations 5 the lower 24a. The

lever I9 and the leaf spring 2li thus form a unit pivoted to the frame 6 by the pin I3. The leaf spring 2e and the lever i5 are connected with each other by a link 2%. If the cam roller lla is pressed downwardly so as to cause the lever l5 to take the position shown in Fig. 2a for instance by means of the xed cam bar i4, the link 2X5 pulls up the free end of the spring 2d with the bolt eye 25 and turns the lever I9, so that the compression plate 2=I is removed from the work.N ing material 5. If the cam roller ib is then pressed downwardly, for instance by means of a liXed cam bar, the compression plate 2i is brought into contact with the working material, and is pressed thereagainst through the load of the spring 2d. The position of the parts of the clamp is now the same as shown in Fig. 2.

As will be seen from Figs. l, 2 and 2a, the lever l and the cam rollers Ila, l'lb are so arranged that the pressure on the cam rollers will always have a line of action falling within the support'- ing base of the wheels, that is to say, the engaging and disengaglng force will always have an increasing eil-ect on the load of the carryingV wheels and can be taken up by these wheels only. This involves the advantage that the power can be applied, without the compression plates being displaced on account of too much play in the guidance or" the clamps.

Figs. 5 and 6 show an alternative arrangement having thin and endless steel bands 21a, Z'iblnserted between the working material 5 and the compression plates 'I and 2l respectively, said steel bands participating in the progressive movement of the working material and the compression plates. The object or this arrangement is primarily to bridge over that interruption in a uniform compression pressure which might be produced in the joints between the adjacent compression plates. 'Ihe bands are carried around by band pulleys 23a, 28o, as will appear from Fig. 5. This takes place during the movement of the vbands in a plane paralleling the direction o1" the compression pressure. The band pulleys may constitute driving members for the bands and thus for the press in its entirety, whereby a uniform speed is warranted and the connections between the clamps are relieved of strains.

To ensure the proper position of the working material between the compression plates in a simple manner, it is possible, as shown in Figs. 2 and 2a, to provide suitable abutments 2i) at the compression plates. Furthermore, it will be found suitable to arrange interengaging portions Eil, Fig. 3, between adjacent compression plates, in order to provide for a positive fixa tion of the mutual position of the compression plates, so that no irregularities in the compression pressure will be produced the joints between adjacent compression plates. Fig. *Y shows an embodiment of the invention suited for the pressing of two strings of working material at the same time. l-leld between the xed compression plate 'l and the movable compression plate 2l are the two strings of working material lla and 5b as well as an intermediate plate 3i, which sparates the two strings of working material. Said intermediate plate is connected to a guide sleeve 32, which is displaceable to a certain extent on the shaft e. rllhe displacements of the guide sleeve are limited by the stop rings 33 and 3l?. Provided between the stop ring 355. and the guide sleeve 32 is a weak helical spring 35 which upon disengagement of the press displaces the sleeve 32 to cause the same to bear against the stop ring the string being thus released. The string 5b is released by the fact that the movable compressionY plate 2l has a greater movement in the direction ol the compression pressure than the intermediate plate 3l. By the introduction of a plurality or" intermediate plates, a multiplicity of strings or" working material may be pressed at the same time.

The invention is not limited to the embodiments described, but may be conceived as applied in many dilierent ways. For example, the exible driving member may constitute the single connection between consecutive compression plates, or said driving member may be lacking entirely. Furthermore, the whole press or parts of the same may be enclosed within a heatinsulating casing, the interior of which'is maintained at a certain liigh'temperature by means of heating elements, in order further to shorten the setting time or the glue. VThe chain of compression plates may also be driven by means of a series of toothed racks arranged in connection with the compression plates.

Having now described our invention, what we claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A conveyor press for continuous gluing together of laminated material under pressure comprising in combination a series of car hingedly connected to form an endless train, a supporting structure, an endless race for said carriages mounted on said structure, means for -moving said carriages along said race, a xed compression plate on each of said carriages, a movable compression plate on each of said carriages opposing said fixed plate, both of said plates on each of said carriages being parallel with the direction of progressive movement of said carriages on said race and having a length in said direction of movement substantially corresponding to the length of each of said carriages so as to exert a substantially uniform pressure on said laminated material over substantially the whole surface thereof during movement through the press, means for keeping said xed compression plates on said carriages substantially ush with one another along the operative path of said carriages, means on each of said carriages for guiding said movable plate to move substantially parallel toward and away from said xed plate, pressing means including a spring for exerting an elastic pressure on said movable plate towards said fixed plate on each of said carriages, and control means for actuating said pressing means comprising an operating lever on each of said carriages and stationary cam means on said supporting structure cooperating with said operating levers at certain points along said race to open and close the compression clamps formed by the xed compression plates and movable compression plates.

2. A conveyor press according to claim 1, which includes an intermediate separating plate, said plate being movably mounted between the compression plates so as to permit separate rows of laminated material to be clamped between the compression plates and the intermediate plate, said intermediate plate having a size substantially corresponding to that of the compression plates, a stop member mounted on said carriages and resilient means for displacing said intermediate plate toward the movable compression plate and against said stop member.

KNUT LENNART BERGVALL.

ERNST ERIK DAHLBERG.

ALLAN OTTO GEORG PALMGREN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 642,976 Grigg Feb. 6, 1900 850,338 Bolton Sept. 16, 1907 1,003,769 McCullough Sept. 19, 1911 1,182,293 Miller May 9, 1916 1,294,801 Hayes et al Feb. 18, 1919 1,527,225 Rockwell Feb. 24, 1925 1,577,744 Gould et al. Mar. 23, 1926 1,628,112 Burns May 10, 1927 1,799,135 Roberts Mar. 31, 1931 1,914,642 Leach June 20, 1933 1,949,917 Muench Mar. 6, 1934 2,291,471 Hopkins July 28, 1942 2,346,039 Montague Apr. 4, 1944 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 539,267 Great Britain Sept. 3, 1941 

